Collapsible container



' July 13, 1926. I 1,592,584

R. VREGELMANN COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1INVENTOR BY f Mm ATTORNY July 13 1926. 1,592,584

R. VIEGELMANN COLLAPS IBLE CONTAINER Filed Feb. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet2 Patented July 13, 192 6.

- UNITED STATES nonnn'r vmenniunn, on NEW YORK, n. Y.

COLLAPSIBLE CONTAINER.

Application filed February 24, 1925, Serial No. 11,037, and in CanadaJune 13, 1924.

This invention relates to collapsible containers, such as are disclosedby Patent No. 1,504,920, which issued August 12th 1924, which containersare adapted for holding tooth paste, shaving cream, face cream, and

articles of a like nature.

The particular object of the present invention is to improve andsimplify the construction of such containers which are adapted to Inessentially a single use, which can be readily stated, illustrated inthe accompanyingdrawings, wherein are shown improved em to hodiments,but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modificationsmay be resorted to without departing from the scope of the invention.

In describing the invention in detail, reference is had to theaccompanying drawings which form a part of this specification andwherein like characters of reference indicate corresponding partsthroughout the several views, in which,

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an oval shaped, open-ended shell forreceiving a portion of material, which afterwards is to be sealedtherein;

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation of the same;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the open end of the shell; a

Fig. 4: is a side elevation of the shell with the end completely closedand sealed;

Fig. 5 is an end elevation thereof;

Fig. 6 is a side elevation of the shell, wherein the upper portion hasadditional sealing crimps;

. Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a slightly modified embodiment of thecontainer;

modified embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 9 is an edge elevation of a portion of the container shown in Fig.8 on an enlarged scale; I

Fig. 8 is a side elevation of a still further Figs. 10 to 16 are sideelevations of furtheir modified embodiments of the container, an 1 Fig.17 is a perspective view illustrating the manner in which the contents.of the contalner is squeezed out.

The body of the container embodying this invent on may be of anysuitable form, such as cylindrical or oval in cross section, but 1n theembodiment shown in the drawings the shell has been shaped to an ovalcross section.

4 Referring to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, a shell 10, having a rounded, closedlower end is shown. This shell is in the nature of an open-ended capsuleof an oval shape and is in condition to receive the contents to beplaced therein and sealed.

In Figs. 4 and 5 is shown the oval shell having its upper part, throughwhich the filling takes place, closed by permanently folding over thecorner parts 11, leaving an outlet 12, through which the contents may bedischarged, which outlet 12 is then crimped and pressed together.

Fig. 6 shows also a body of oval form, which upper both sides and tipsare crim ed along as is shown by 18, and the open e ges 12 are pressedtogether. For closing these open side edges 13, they are double crimpedtightly together. The opening 12 is only crimped asingle time so that arelatively small, but properly applied pressure releases it.

In Fig. 7 is shown a slightly modified construction, wherein the shell14 is formed of tubular material with the lowerend 15' folded over andpermanently pressed against the sides of the tube so as to permanentlyseal the lower end thereof. The upper portion of the tube is closedafter the material is inserted therein by folding over the corners 16and pressing together and crimping the opening 17 in the manner aboveset forth. The tube may also be doubly crimped as indicated at 18, inaddition to the folded corner 16.

In Fig; 8 the container comprises a shell side of the tube and the edgesare pressed together with single crimp 21 therein, the major portion ofthe tube from the opening 20 to the otherside is provided with doublecrimps 22 and the outer edges may be folded overon to the tube forfurther securing the tube closed. As shown, the folded portioninterlocked in a permanent manner by folding as indicated at 23 and 24.The interlocking of the walls in the various embodiments hereindescribed may be accomplished by crimping, folding, rolling,perforating, stam )ing, stencllmg, soldering or other approvetways-according to the degree of locking or fastening of the wallsdesired for the diiferent portions of the containers.

In Fig. 10, a container comprising a shell 25 formed in the same manneras the shell 14 disclosed in Fig. 7 is employed. This container isclosed by folding the side portions 26 together leaving an opening 27 between them and pressing the portions of the opening together andproviding a single crimp 28 for sealing the opening.

The container 29 disclosed in Fig. 11 is of similar construction and hasits end 30 closed by folding the side portions of the tube together asindicated by 30 after the tube is filled. It will be seen in this formof tube that by pressing the sides of the container the folded portion30 thereof will release and allow the contents to be ejected.

A similar container shell 31 is shown in Fig. 12. In this embodiment theend of the tube is rounded and portions of the sides of the tube arefolded upon each other as indicated by 32. By pressing the sides of thiscontainer, one or more of the folded portions 32 will yield and permitthe contents to be ejected.

The container 33 shown in Fig. 13 is constructed the same as that shownin Fig. 12

except that the end of the tube is provided with opening 34 betweenfolded sections 35. In this form of the container the walls of theopening are pressed together and provided with a crimp 3G.

The container 37 shown in Fig. 14 is constructed similar to that shownin Fig. 8 and is provided with a cap member 38 which is adapted to slideover the folded closure portion 39 and opening 40.

In Fig. 15 the container 37 is provided with a spring clip 41 whichoperates to seal the end of the container in a similar manner as the cap39. When it is desired to remove the contents from the container, thecap 39 or spring 41 is first removed from the container.

- In Fig. 16, a container 42 of similar construction is disclosed havingits end 43 sealed by folding the side portions of the tube uponthemselves in locking engagement. This closure is provided with a wirereinforcing member 44 extending throughout the locked folded portionacting as a reinforcing member and has an exposed end 45 which may begrasped and drawn outwardly in a manner to tear the portion 46 or somuch of the end 43 as is desired to provide an opening through which thecontents of the tube may be ejected. In addition to the folding of theend 43, this tube may also be provided with crimps 21 and 22 whichmaintain the container sealed after the removal of the wire 44.

In Fig. 17 a tube constructed in the manner set forth is shown with thecontents being ejected therefrom by pressing the sides between the thumband finger. By means of such construction a single application containeris provided, which cannot in any manner become unsanitary and whichavoids many of the objectionable features of tubular containers now inuse.

The material of the tube can be made of any suitable material, the formor shape can be round, square, oval or flat; the size depends uponquantity of contents, though preferably only one application isintended.

Containers embodying my invention maybe readily taken along on travelingtrips and when used, are thrown away. Such containers are particularlyapplicable for medical and surgical uses, in that they provideantiseptic means for each dose and when made of a suitable material, thedischarge ends thereof can be readily sterilized before being used, andthereafter the contents discharged.

While several embodiments of the invention have been shown anddescribed, it is clear that changes may be made therein withoutdeparting from the spirit of the invention as defined in the followingclaims.

What is claimed as the invention and is desired to be secured by LettersPatent is:

1. A collapsible container comprising a tubular shell of pliablematerial closed at one end and adapted to receive its contents throu hits other end before the same is close closing means at said other endof the tube comprising side portions thereof permanently folded againstthe body portion thereof leaving a small outlet opening between the endsof said folded side portions and the walls surrounding said outletopenin being releasably interlocked with each 0t er for closin andsealing the container, but adapted to be separated by pressure of thecontents in the container when the contamer is collapsed forautomatically opening the container under predetermined pressure forremoval of the contents by continued pressure.

2. A collapsible container I comprising a tubular shell of pliablematerial, one end of said tube being closed, by asection of the lowerend of the tube being folded upwardly and permanently bent upon the bodyportion of the tube, the other end of the tube being 0 on for receivingthe contents and therea ter having side portions at the open end thereofpermanently folded against the body portion leaving a small outlet 0ening between the ends of said folded si e portions, and the wallssurrounding said outlet openin being releasably interlocked with each oter for closing andsealing the container.

3. A collapsible container comprising a at tubular shell ofpliablematerial close one end and adapted to receive the contents throu h theother and before the same is" close closing means for said otherend ofthe tube com rising doubl crimped side portions, an portions tweensingly crimped whereby the contents in the 'container will be sealed,but the middle portion with the single crimp adapted to be separated toform an opening b pressure of the contents in the container w en thecontainer is collapsed under a' predetermined for removing the contents.

4. A collapsible container comprising a tubular shell of liable materialhavin one of its ends closed and the other end 0 said tubevhaving-lscrimped and folded'sections of its side wa for holding them toether'so as to seal the end of the tube and ermetically enclose thecontents thereof, said crimped section of the tube adjacent the pressurefolded section being adapted to yield and al.

low the contents ofthe tube to be ejected through the opening formed inthe crimped section, when pressure is applied to the sldes of the tube.

5. A collapsible container comprising a tubular shell of pliablematerial havin one of its ends sealed by bein folded to c osed position,and the other en of said tube havmg its walls across the endhermetically hereto.

ROBERT VIEGELMANN.

